Rockpool Gin, drink photography

Commercial gin and bottle photography for Rockpool Spirits, photographed in a Somerset studio and created for website, social media, advertising, print and editorial use.

The visual direction used a cool coastal teal palette, frosted Perspex and controlled studio lighting to create a softened, submerged quality inspired by the Rockpool brand line, “beneath the surface”.

BRIEF

Create a compact and flexible image library for the Rockpool Gin website, social media, advertising, print and editorial use.

The brief included a principal bottle hero, prepared serves, label and closure details, an overhead composition, a graphic stopper grid, a spotlight frame, a controlled pour and one splash photograph.

The complete set needed to feel consistent while providing enough variation for different layouts, campaigns and image formats.

APPROACH

The visual direction began with Rockpool’s connection to Cornwall’s Roseland Peninsula and its coastal identity.

A teal studio set was built using frosted Perspex to scatter and soften the light, introducing a subtle sense of depth and diffusion beneath the surface. The lighting retained accurate bottle colour, clear glass edges and readable label detail while allowing the surrounding teal tones to carry the atmosphere.

Flags and a polarising filter controlled reflections across the glass. Backlighting and narrow edge lights separated the bottle from the background and kept the label clear, particularly in the darker compositions.

A second lighting pass introduced a controlled spotlight and directional rays, creating stronger graphic options for advertising and social media. The final colour grade maintained consistent bottle colour, label detail and tonal balance throughout the series.